Along with a small sketch of the fossil, Thomson had described it simply as the “vertebra of a large reptile” measuring around 10 centimetres across.
Dr Evans realised the fossil looked more like a dinosaur bone than the remains of a marine reptile.
Since it had been collected in 1985, it would also represent the first dinosaur fossil ever recovered from Antarctica.
Based on the size of the Antarctic vertebra, researchers estimate the dinosaur measured about seven metres long.
Researchers say the discovery is significant because dinosaur fossils from Antarctica remain extremely rare.
A fossil that remained unnoticed in a museum drawer for nearly four decades has been identified as the first dinosaur bone ever discovered in Antarctica, offering scientists new insights into the prehistoric animals that once lived on the frozen continent.
According to a BBC report, the fossil was collected in 1985 during an expedition to James Ross Island, but researchers at the time were unable to determine exactly what it was.
Believing it was likely the remains of a large marine reptile, the team stored it in the geology collection of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) in Cambridge, where it remained largely forgotten for almost 40 years.
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According to the report, the specimen has now been re-examined by palaeontologists, who confirmed that it is a tail vertebra belonging to a Titanosaur, a group of long-necked plant-eating dinosaurs that included some of the largest animals ever to walk the Earth.
Discovery hidden in plain sight
The fossil was rediscovered by Dr Mark Evans, collections manager at the British Antarctic Survey, while reviewing thousands of specimens collected during Antarctic expeditions over several decades.
Its original discovery had been carefully documented by geologist Dr Mike Thomson in a field notebook dated December 9, 1985. Along with a small sketch of the fossil, Thomson had described it simply as the “vertebra of a large reptile” measuring around 10 centimetres across.
Dr Evans realised the fossil looked more like a dinosaur bone than the remains of a marine reptile. Since it had been collected in 1985, it would also represent the first dinosaur fossil ever recovered from Antarctica.
Experts confirm Titanosaur identity
To verify the find, Evans sought the help of Professor Paul Barrett from the Natural History Museum.
According to Barrett, the vertebra has a distinctive ball-and-socket joint structure that is unique to Titanosaurs. The shape of the fossil allowed experts to identify it immediately despite its modest appearance.
More than 100 Titanosaur species have been identified worldwide. These four-legged herbivores had long necks and tails, and the largest members of the group grew over 35 metres in length and weighed nearly 60 tonnes.
Based on the size of the Antarctic vertebra, researchers estimate the dinosaur measured about seven metres long. Scientists believe it may have belonged either to a young Titanosaur or to a smaller adult species.
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The dinosaur is believed to have lived around 82 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous Period, when Antarctica had a much warmer climate than today. Instead of being covered by ice, the continent supported lush forests that could sustain large plant-eating dinosaurs.
Researchers say the discovery is significant because dinosaur fossils from Antarctica remain extremely rare. Thick ice sheets cover much of the continent, making fossil hunting difficult and leaving much of its prehistoric history hidden beneath the surface.
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